ULPPL to U/L

[Xpiro]

I’ve been running a ULPPL for a couple years now and I’d say it’s been working decently well, but I wonder if I could get a little bit more out of a full-on upper/lower with equivalent or possibly even more volume. I’d run 3 upper days and 2 lower days. The idea is that I could get more out of my lifts because they’re not crowded in with other exercises that target the same muscle groups, but if relative intensity is sufficient either way, does it really matter? Any other upsides and downsides I should consider?

[air2fakie]

It's a matter of preference really, but IMO it's easier to manage volume in a ULPPL if you're doing 5 days/week.

A ULULU seems more sensible if you're moving up from a regular UL and just want to add an extra short day for upper body stuff you're having trouble squeezing into 4-days - rather than trying to increase volume from a ULPPL.

Depending on the details, keep in mind your leg days may end up having only 1 day rest between them instead of 2, you can't sneak in a DL variation on Pull day if you like to split up squats & DLs, and you could end up working your back on every single workout day possibly 5 days in a row.

[TAWS6]

Specialization cycles. If you’re really strong upper lower is rough.

[MyEgoProblem]

Rts style
4day full body is the wayif you arent doing ul.

[Xpiro]

@a2f So I would be doing 2 on 1 off 3 on 1 off, same as I’m doing now, so lower days would get the same amount of rest in between.

@TAWS I’ve been thinking about working with higher reps on pretty much everything for a while to give my joints a break. And I mean I’m not like terribly strong lol. As for specialization, I’ve kind of been doing body part specialization cycles for the last few mesos, but I end up having to do upper body stuff on my lower days to distribute the volume. That’s something else I’m trying to avoid... I just want lower days to be lower days, but if I’m doing like 20 sets of something I don’t want to try to fit all that into 2 days bc **** takes ages. And there’s the issue of actually getting the most out of whatever I’m doing.

@ego Problem with FB is I don’t have enough weight at home for legs, and my schedule has me working out at home at least one day/week. Plus I need at least 5 days for my sanity...

I also thought about a straight up PPL with equivalent volume to st least solve the time issue, really like the idea of getting 6 days in. Not sure on that one.

[TAWS6]

Sooo a spec cycle looks like this and you shouldn’t need to move anything to lower

Upper chest spec
Bench 5x5
Incline 3x10-12
Maintenance everything else
Rows 1-2 sets
Pull down 1-2 sets
Bi/tri

Or you do Mon chest spec only, wed maintenance every thing else, Friday chest spec

PPL is inferior to ULPPL for pretty much all humans..

[BeginnerGainz]

@a2f So I would be doing 2 on 1 off 3 on 1 off, same as I’m doing now, so lower days would get the same amount of rest in between.

@TAWS I’ve been thinking about working with higher reps on pretty much everything for a while to give my joints a break. And I mean I’m not like terribly strong lol. As for specialization, I’ve kind of been doing body part specialization cycles for the last few mesos, but I end up having to do upper body stuff on my lower days to distribute the volume. That’s something else I’m trying to avoid... I just want lower days to be lower days, but if I’m doing like 20 sets of something I don’t want to try to fit all that into 2 days bc **** takes ages. And there’s the issue of actually getting the most out of whatever I’m doing.

@ego Problem with FB is I don’t have enough weight at home for legs, and my schedule has me working out at home at least one day/week. Plus I need at least 5 days for my sanity...

I also thought about a straight up PPL with equivalent volume to st least solve the time issue, really like the idea of getting 6 days in. Not sure on that one.

Have you ever stopped to consider your joints hurt BECAUSE of the high volume of sets you’re doing?

[Xpiro]

@Taws this is for UL or ULPPL? Like right now I do Thurs Upper, Fri Lower, Sun Pull, Mon Push, Tues Legs. That only gives me two days to hit chest (which I want to emphasize after this deload actually). Never put anything on maintenance before but I get the idea.

@BG Dunno, most of my issues are with lower body and I keep volume relatively low there. 12 quad/9 hams (unless you count deads, then it’s 11)

Everything else is as follows:

Chest: 17

Back: 19 (not lower, most it gets hit is Pendlays otherwise everything else is a pulldown, chin, or chest supported row. And overhand Yates nearly vertical)

Front delts: 7

Bi: 16 (this was only to specialize last meso, usually I do 10 unless you count chins then we’ve got 16 on top of the usual 10)

Tri: 10

Side delt: 8

Rear delt: 11

Upper traps: 2

I don’t think it’s that high, chest and back aside. Thoughts? And even then I reduced back volume by 7 sets in the last couple of months. My primary complaint with upper body is my shoulder that gets aggravated with pronated overhead positions sometimes. + if it matters these are volumes that I build up to within the first half of the meso.

[TAWS6]

@Taws this is for UL or ULPPL? Like right now I do Thurs Upper, Fri Lower, Sun Pull, Mon Push, Tues Legs. That only gives me two days to hit chest (which I want to emphasize after this deload actually). Never put anything on maintenance before but I get the idea..

Spec cycles are best done 3 or 4 days in my experience due to the intensity. IMO there is no benefit in training a muscle more than twice per week. I don’t think I have ever recommended a natural lift weights more than 4-5 day per week.